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There’s a fair amount of trepidation I’ve always felt going into matches. I’m confident they CAN win. It’s just a matter of actually coming together and doing it.

Malaga was no different than any of the other matches. They have one of the best defenses in La Liga right now. And, in my opinion, Kameni is a highly underrated keeper. I mean, he keeps Ochoa out of the starting lineup ffs!

This one is going to be relatively short. I managed to pick up a hell of a cold and have spent most of the last two days on my couch under a blanket. Lots of cold meds and lots of fluids. I hate orange juice but I’m drinking it anyway. The good news is that I can’t really taste it.

Once the match was under way, it only took 2 minutes for Torres to pick up a yellow card for pulling Jese back. And maybe it was a glimpse of how difficult the match would be for us.

Anyone else not digging the thickness of the beard?

The match was open but we seemed to be making some pretty simple mistakes. There was a HUGE one from Toni in the 19th minute that almost led to Juanpi putting the ball past Keylor. Luckily for us, Nacho got back and did just enough to put him off.

In the 25th minute, Marcelo picked up a yellow card. His challenge on Rosales was quite late.

Cris and Albentosa got into it in the 31st minute. Cris hit the ground, I still don’t really know what happened. But the commentators seemed to think the ref should have done something about it and he didn’t. So much for us getting all those calls, huh?

But hey, the best thing you can do for Cristiano “Kylo Ron” Ronaldo is to talk smack or make him angry. Because in the 33rd minute he scored with a pretty awesome header (which was probably offside).

I used to play with a girl who was like Cris. The more you pushed her around and made her mad, the better she played. Then one day I found myself playing against her and made the mistake of absolutely flooring her. I probably should have been carded. Then again, I once close-lined a girl and she was called for it…

Cris rightfully earned a penalty in the 34th minute but unfortunately his penalty was saved by Kameni.

In the 41st minute, Charles picked up a yellow card for dissent.

Juanpi had another chance just before the end of the half but he was called offside. After 1 minute of extra time, the teams headed to the locker room.

Malaga 0 – 1 Real Madrid

Second Half:

Neither of the clubs made any changes and the second half got under way with Malaga.

Keylor had to make a great save in the 51st minute as a shot was deflected off Nacho.

Cris was still having issues with Albentosa. At one point, Cris might have just sneezed on him and Albentosa started rolling. All I could think of was the 2010 World Cup when Kaka was red carded against the Ivory Coast.

“I didn’t do anyfing!”

That was for you Shigs!

In the 55th minute Camacho was handed a yellow card for a late challenge on Marcelo.

Kameni made another great save in the 56th minute to deny Kylo Ron. Seriously, Kameni could play for my team any day. Well… That’s if we didn’t already have the best keeper in La Liga.

Zizou made his first change in the 61st minute when Lucas Vazquez replaced Jese.

Fornals replaced Horta for Malaga in the 63rd minute.

It was Albentosa that fired in a close range shot in the 66th minute to bring Malaga level. Can you see the steam coming out of my ears?! It was a well-placed shot but I don’t like not winning!

Isco put the ball in the back of the net in the 70th minute but he was offside. This just was getting frustrating, no?

In the 71st minute, Modric picked up a yellow card for a high kick.

Toni’s face is my face

In the 75th minute, we got a run on from James in place of Isco.

In the 81st minute, Malaga made their second substitution with Roque Santa Cruz coming in for Cop.

We continued to put pressure on but just couldn’t make our chances happen.

The third Malaga sub came in the 90th minute with Duda replacing Juanpi. Then, in the same minute, Kameni picked up a yellow card for time wasting.

After 5 minutes of added time, we dropped more points on the road.

Malaga 1 – 1 Real Madrid

Match Photos:

Post-Match Comments:

“There are still a lot of points to play for and a long way to go in La Liga”, added the Real Madrid boss.

Zinedine Zidane reflected on the game against Málaga at La Rosaleda: “Today we dropped two points, but we’ll never throw the towel in. There are still a lot of points to play for, there are 38 points to play for, and we’re going to keep going. It was a difficult game. We’re not going to relax, for me there’s no such thing. We’ve got La Liga and the Champions League and we’re going to fight right until the end”.

“There are points at stake and there’s still a long way to go in the Liga season. The other teams can drop points, but I’m not thinking about the other teams. I’m just thinking about us carrying on regardless of what happens. We prepared well during the week and I’m going to have to analyse the game. The players put a lot of effort in today. The game was there to be won and it’s true that they fashioned a lot of chances against us”.

The performance“I don’t think that we didn’t play well. We struggled a bit, particularly with the second balls. They dominated in many areas, but we didn’t play badly. We had many chances”.

“Today you might look at it and think that we played badly and I might think the opposite: that we had chances to score and win the game. We could perhaps also have lost the game.Our last few games give us reason for optimism”.

Struggles away from home“We also played away from home in our last Champions League game. It was tough, but we won. Today it was also difficult and we had the chance to have won. I need to analyse it with my team and reflect on it. With hard work and all working together we can achieve something. You think that La Liga is lost, but I don’t and certainly the players don’t”.

Positions“Isco wasn’t playing up front. The three of them swapped position, (Isco) along with Modric and Kovacic. They needed good movement. We made two changes and there’s nothing more to it than that”.

“We had chances to kill the game but we were unable to convert them”, said Ramos.

Marcelo, who started the game in La Rosaleda, looked back at the game against Malaga: “They are a big team and we knew that it was going to be difficult. We never give up, even though there is a lot of difference, we will fight until the end. La Liga is always complicated and today it has become even more so. We have to keep going and fighting”.We had the game under control but we’ve made a few mistakes. We have to look at what we did wrong so we don’t make the same mistakes”.

Difficult game“We have drawn. We wanted to win so it tastes like a defeat, but we’re going to fight on. Games away from home are always difficult because the opposition always raise their game against Real Madrid. We are now going to look towards the next game, which will also be difficult”.

Ramos: “La Liga is now a bit more difficult”“It’s clear that not picking up three from three was going to be a negative, especially due to how La Liga is and because we had got in front. It’s a shame. La Liga is now a bit more difficult. We have taken a step back but it won’t stop us fighting for the title until the end”.

“In the first half we weren’t at our best but we got ourselves ahead and in the second half when we were dominating, they leveled the score. We always try to play the best way possible and sometimes it doesn’t work out. We had chances to kill the game but we were unable to convert them and in the end, any mistake costs the 3 points”.

La Liga and Champions League“We came in to this having trained well in the week and with the intention of getting three points but it wasn’t to be. We have to forget about this game and think about the next one. Every game and each competition require the maximum and we are going to fight for La Liga and the Champions League”.

Navas: “We’re not thinking about giving up”“We wanted to win and we had the mentality of playing a good game. We fought hard, but they played well and were able to pull level. We have gone out and looked to attack and win the game but we switched off a bit in defence and lost our markers. These things happen, it’s football, you have to pick yourself up”.

Fight to the end“We’re not thinking about giving up. La Liga is complicated but we’re going to fight to the end to get all the points available to us. Real Madrid are not characterised as a team that gives up and we’re going to fight on”.

Away from home“When we’re the visitors, the other teams are really motivated and do a good job. Today, Malaga have done a serious job and it wasn’t easy. This is a team game and it doesn’t go down to who is better or worse. We have all dropped two points. We try to do our job the best we can, sometimes the games come off perfectly but this one hasn’t been that way”.

I’m not giving up. If they’re not, neither am I.

If Barcelona continue in the form they’re in, then no. We probably won’t win the league. But they could lose it. There’s still a long way to go.

3 Responses to “Match Recap: Malaga 1 – 1 Real Madrid”

Ronaldo was definitely offside on the goal. I will say Ronaldo doesn’t dive as much as he did earlier in his career, he still does it sometimes. I try not to hold his goal celebration pose against him, but it is difficult. I thought I could be a Madrid fan again Mourinho took his drama to Chelsea, but I think Ronaldo will also have to go before I can really support the team the way I want to. I need to find a way to watch that doesn’t include commentary by Ray Hudson.

Wa-Tishistas!

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